This invention relates to a rotary internal combustion engine and more particularly to a rotary internal combustion engine utilizing spherical pistons.
The rotary engine, in which the shaft output is produced directly, rather than with the use of reciprocating connecting rods such as in the convention gasoline engine utilizing pistons reciprocating in cylinders, has been known for a long time.
U.S. Pat. No. 137,261 shows a rotary steam engine in which the output shaft is rotated by the reciprocal movement of cylindrical pistons and connecting rods.
U.S. Pat. No. 951,388 discloses a rotary combustion engine utilizing piston rods and rollers to cause the cylinders to rotate.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,595,014 teaches the use of spherical pistons which are actuated by hydraulic liquid pressurized by hydraulic vanes forming chambers which expand and contract in accordance with combustion in a combustion chamber.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,688,751 utilizes pistons with rollers along an outer cam surface, all of the pistons appearing to move in unison.
U.S. Pat. No. 3,841,279 discloses a rotary engine with cylindrical pistons having springs to bias the pistons outwardly, and utilizing rollers to ride on cam surfaces.
The arrangements described in the preceding patents are complex, expensive to manufacture, and difficult to maintain due to their relative complexity. None of these patents teaches the present invention.
The rotary engine has not been successfully utilized except in the most limited applications. Its complexity, manufacturing, and maintenance problems are some of the principal reasons for its lack of present use.